Forever Yours
by Baby Doll Buffy
Summary: Angel returns to find a surprise waiting.


Title: Forever Yours

Rating: G

Disclaimer: Joss, the WB, Mutant Enemy, and Fox own it all.

*~*~*

Cindy began to cry.

Her cried echoed through the apartment, and Buffy groaned, rolling over and swinging her legs out of bed, glancing at the red numbers on her bedside clock. 

4:03.

The third time that night Cindy had woken her up.

Rubbing her eyes, Buffy made her way down the hall to the nursery and picked up her crying daughter.

"Shhh, baby, shhhh," she murmured over and over again, while yawning and blinking to keep her eyes open. Eventually Cindy stopped crying, and fell back to sleep. Buffy gently laid the little girl in her crib and wandered back into her bedroom.

Most mothers had a husband who could they alternate the midnight wakenings with. But Buffy didn't. Almost two years ago Angel had left her and gone to L.A. it had been the worst experience of Buffy's life, but after months of sadness, she'd moved on with her life. She'd gone to college. She'd made a few new friends, fought a few vamps. Met some TA called Riley who would not stop bugging her. 

Then Xander spilled the news that Angel had been in Sunnydale. Buffy had been filled with rage, which propelled her to L.A, and, against the plan, straight into Angel's arms. She knew about the day that had been erased, even though Angel still thought that he alone carried the burden. Yet, she alone knew that was the day she got pregnant. 

Cindy was Angel's daughter, yet he didn't know. Nobody knew. Buffy had refused to tell anyone who the father was. And now, even though she had a daughter, Riley still wouldn't leave her alone.

Riley. Buffy groaned. Damn. He was coming back that day. He'd gone home to his farm in Iowa over vacation. Now he was coming home, and Buffy really didn't have the strength to see him right now.

*~*~*

Buffy shuddered as she heard a knock on the door that night. She knew it had to be Riley. He'd probably just gotten back, and come to see her, in the foolish hope that they could have a thing. But she didn't want a thing. No things. With anybody.

She pulled open the door, and gasped.

Except Angel.

He stood outside her door, dressed all in black, the light from behind lighting his face. Buffy's heart skipped a beat.

"Hi," he murmured.

Buffy breathed. "Hey."

They remained still for several moments, just staring at each other. Then Buffy roused herself. "Uh...do you want to come in?"

He smiled, and Buffy's knees went weak. "Sure."

She stepped back. "Come on in."

He stepped over the threshold, and Buffy shut the door behind him. She led him into her living room. "Can I get you anything?" she asked, hating how...formal it sounded. But she wasn't sure how to act now.

He shook his head, and they sat down.

"What...uh...why are you here?" Buffy asked, fiddling with an earring.

"I came to see you," he replied.

Buffy breathed. "Oh. Why?"

He smiled. "Just to see how you were doing. I mean, I haven't seen you since..."

"Thanksgiving," Buffy supplied, her eyes going cloudy. He nodded slowly.

"So, how've you been?" he asked.

His question ws suddenly answered, but not in the way Buffy intended. Cindy woke up, and gave a loud wail, followed by many sobs. Angel blinked, surprised. "Ah..."

"Oh, no, it's not like that," Buffy said immediately, standing up. "Look, Angel, please...don't leave, I'll be right back." She hurried to the hall, then stopped, and looked back at him. "Do you...ah...want to come with me?"

*~*~*

"Wow, she's beautiful," Angel said, looking at Cindy. 

"Can you hold her for a sec?" Buffy asked. Cindy had settled down now, but Buffy wanted to get her pacifier from the closet. She handed the baby to Angel.

"What's her name?" Angel called to Buffy, hidden inside the closet.

"Cindy!" Buffy shouted back, searching for the pacifier. Finally she found it, and returned to Angel. She took Cindy, gave her the pacifier, and placed her back in her crib.

"Buffy?" Angel asked, and Buffy knew immediately what he was going to say.

"Don't tell me," Buffy broke in. 'Your going to ask who her father is, aren't you?"

He nodded.  


Buffy gave a tiny smile. "Angel, Cindy is ten months old. She was conceived nineteen months ago, just over a year and a half ago. You do the math, it was Thanksgiving." She fell silent, while Angel grew confused.

"I remember that day, Angel," she whispered.

Angel froze, listening.

"I know...what you did," Buffy continued. "What you gave up. After I got back to Sunnydale, the Oracles, sort of...orbed me into their reality, and they told me I was pregnant, and they told me about the day. They said that Cindy...she...she's some sort of goddess, Angel. They said she'd be called when she was 'of age'. But...she's your daughter, Angel."

Angel took all this in. He studied Buffy's face, her eyes filled with tears, and he engulfed her in a hug.

"I love you," he whispered to her.

"I love you, too," she murmured. "Angel, stay with me. Don't leave?"

"I'll stay with you forever," he whispered.

*~*~*

The End


End file.
